Need help looking for a job? Tired of hearing silence when you apply on-line? RightChanges Job Search Coach offers tips on how to find a job in this market and how to stand out from your competition. These tips apply whether you are unemployed, misemployed, new graduate, or re-entering the job market.

Monday, August 25, 2014

An interesting statistic from a
poll taken of recruiting and hiring managers stated that 75% of the people who
review resumes said they read cover letters ONLY if they know the cover letter
has been customized for the company and the position.

At RightChanges, we have two
ALWAYS statements regarding the job search and one is to ALWAYS send a cover
letter.Coach Judi Adams recommends one
cover format over any other. The format we recommend is the T cover letter.

What is a T Cover Letter?

The T cover letter gets its name
from the imaginary T that is formed by the two columns in the middle of the
single page letter. The left column is the list of requirements as outlined by
the hiring company and the second column is the qualifications you have that
match the requirements. With this format you are visually showing the hiring
manager why you are the perfect candidate. How powerful is that?

IMPORTANT OFFER:

The remaining portion of this article
gives the steps to creating the T cover letter. Some job seekers however still
struggle with creating it: how to select the requirements and qualifications to
include or how to use Word to format it. RightChanges is offering a one-hour webinar
on Friday September 12th on The Power Cover Letter. Space is limited
and registration deadline is Friday September 5th. See details at
the end of this article.

The Format

We know the most important
section of the cover letter (the T) and there are other sections of this single
page letter as well.

Letterhead

The top of the cover letter
should have the same format and information you have on your resume. This is
your letterhead and gives a professional look to your materials. This same
letterhead should be used on all job search correspondences. Consider it your
own custom stationery.

Address

You should address the letter to
the name of the hiring manager. You should be able to get this name through
networking. If you absolutely do not know the person’s name do not address the
letter to Dear Sir. I am a female hiring manager and that won no points with
me.

Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph should
mention the position you are applying for, include the position number if one
was listed, and how you heard about the position. If you did it correctly, you
networked into the position and can mention the person’s name who told you
about the position or to contact that person.

Brag Phrase

Brag phrase is our name for the
section that appears before the T . This phrase (a sentence or two) should
affirm that your experience and abilities seem to be a great match for the
position and transition to the T portion of the letter.

The T

The T consists of two columns
with the respective titles of Your Requirements and My Qualifications or
something equivalent.

Each requirement should be a
separate row. The bulleted items in the right column should line up to the
point it corresponds to in the left column.If you have more qualifications for a particular requirement, it is fine
to have white space on the left before the next bullet. An important reminder
is to keep the text as concise as possible.

We are often asked what about how
to handle requirements where you do not have the matching qualifications. The
answer is not to list those. The hiring manager’s list is like a kid’s Santa
list during the Christmas holiday. No child believes they are going to receive
everything on the list, it is the items they would like to have.Hiring managers list all of the skills and
experience they would like to have. Even some requirements listed as mandatory
will be overlooked when they find a great candidate.

Closing

The deal isn’t a deal until it
is closed. Following the T portion, a closing phrase is needed that expresses
your interest, belief that you are a great fit, and next steps. Consider using a
statement regarding how you will follow-up with them in a few days to see if
they have any questions.

Tips

To compile the phrases for the opening, brag and
closing sections, RightChanges recommends looking through the book Cover
Letters That Will Knock’em Dead by Martin Yate.Go through and find wording that sounds like you, not all phrases and
wording will.

To get your cover letter in front of the hiring
manager and read, add the letter to the front of the resume in the same file.
Do not have a separate file for the resume. Many hiring managers will believe
it is the same old blah blah blah cover letter and not even open it. Plus
having the cover letter as the first page of the resume will allow electronic
resume scanners to find the keywords of the requirements.

Use the cover letter to walk the hiring
manager through why you are the perfect candidate by using the most powerful
cover letter format, the one page T cover letter.

WEBINAR DETAILS: Power
Cover Letter Webinar

On Friday September 12th at noon US EDT, RightChanges
is holding the Power Cover Letter webinar. You will learn how to write this
powerful cover letter which visually shows hiring authorities why you are the
right candidate. Do not leave it for them to figure it out for themselves. Standout
from the competition.

Topics covered:

* Benefits of this format

* The do's and don'ts

* How to get them to "read" the cover letter

* Actual example from scratch: using a resume and job
description, you will see a step by step demonstration using Microsoft Word on
how to do it yourself

There will be time at the end of the webinar to get your cover
letter questions answered

Registration deadline is Friday September 5th but
don’t wait – space is limited.

Other Tips

In this competitive market, every little trick helps. RightChangesJobSearchCoach.blogspot.com will give a tip for job seekers each week.
Name Badge
Use an experienced salesperson’s tip. Wear your name tag on the right so your name is in the line of sight of the people you shake hands with, making it easier for them to remember your name.

Body LanguageExcuse me - What did your body language say again? Over 80% of communication is non verbal. It is essential for you to know how to read your contact’s and interviewer’s body language so you can judge the effect of what you are saying verbally. It is also essential for you to control your own body language. The following are some brief tips.

1) Leaning forward shows interest.
2) Eye contact establishes trust with the other person.
3) Do not cross anything (arms, legs, etc.). Crossing indicates you are closed to or guarding against the person or what is being said.
4) Keep your hands within sight to show you are not hiding anything. Did you know that shaking hands started as a way to show you are not carrying a weapon?

Read more on body language and see if you may be saying one thing and your body another. The library, the web, and discount bookstores have a lot on this topic.

Do Something for Yourself

You are looking for a job so money is tight or you are budgeting more closely than ever before. This tip may seem counterintuitive but it is worth every penny. The tip: Do something for yourself that would make you proud! Whether it is to lose weight, take classes, splurge on a new interview suit or jacket, get a new hair cut or color the grey, or get new more contemporary glasses, just do it! Your self confidence level will increase. You may even meet a great networking connection that way.

This does not need to cost a lot. There are less expensive, money saving options too.

Classes: The state has programs that will cover the cost of training. Some colleges let people audit classes for free and there are links for free on-line courses. Libraries and other organizations offer seminars. During an interview, when you are asked what you have been doing since you were laid off, they will see that you have continued to develop yourself and expand your interests.

Instead of the gym: If you want to lose weight but cannot afford a gym membership, then walk the mall 1 hour non-stop several times a week. You don’t have to be an early riser either; you can find mall walkers at all hours. Check with your favorite malls. In some malls, the anchor stores close later than the other stores, so you can walk the mall without the crowds.

Eyeglasses: Several eye glass stores have "two for one" specials. Go in halves with someone on the cost.

New Interview Suit or jacket: Now is the time to shop. The stores are already marking down clothes for the new season. Watch the paper for additional discounts and coupons. Go on the web and see if the store has on-line coupons available there. You would be amazed at the savings.

You don't need to spend a lot but do something just for you that you are proud of and enjoy it!

Read Who Moved My Chesse and the Prayer of JabezCheese and Jabez: Change is hard and being on the job market is one of the most stressful changes in a person’s life. RightChanges asks every client to (re)read Who Moved My Cheese. It can be read in less than one hour and has a great message on accepting change.

Another recommended book is the Prayer of Jabez. It is based on a single verse in the Bible and reminds us that God has a storehouse of blessings for us; we just have to ask. Check these out at your local library.